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Friday, October 31, 2014

The bulk of the QSLs received for the month of October are from free radio and legal stations logged via remote Web-Radio in Twente, the Netherlands. Again, many of these stations are nearly impossible to receive directly in Malaysia due either to propagation, timing and/or extremely low power transmitters.

Radio New World International* (eQSL) transmitting from the Netherlands

Additional free radio stations were logged in October, but to date they remain unresponsive to reception reports which were submitted multiple times to known email addresses. The exception is Radio Antenna 50 Plus which has no known email address. They include the following:

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Between 22.30 to 24.00 UTC, in a random band scan from 41 to 17 meters, a few notable stations popped up while others appear to have disappeared completely. CRI transmitting from Bamako and Radio Habana Cuba reached the shores of Malaysia with unusually fair strength and clear audio. A few RTM stations, i.e. Klasik Nasional and TRAXX FM, appear to have left their simulcast short-wave frequencies. NHK World - Radio Japan apparently has filled some of the RTM frequencies (11.665 kHz and possibly 5.965 kHz) at various times. Xi Wang Zhi Sheng (on 18.870 kHz and 18.970 kHz) and Radio Australia (on 19.000 kHz) were observed outside commonly used broadcast frequencies. Other stations normally received within this time period remain so. That's all for today. 73s from Malaysia!

MALAYSIARTM Klasik Nasional (5.965) off air

RTM TRAXX FM (7.295) off air for several months

RTM Sarawak FM (9.835) off air before 23.00 UTC, but heard with Islamic song and azan at 04.30 UTC with SINPO of 45434. If transmitting from Kajang I would expect better reception, considering I am approximately 40 km north. Odd.

Reach Beyond Australia was logged on 28 October 2014. Religious programming and music in Amoy was heard from 23.00 to 23.30 UTC. Reception on 15.525 kHz was (SINPO) 55455; reception weakened slightly around 23.10 UTC to 45444.

Reception report was emailed on 29 October 2014. This eQSL arrived on 31 October 2014.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Radio Enterprise*, transmitting from northern Italy, was logged on 26 October 2014. An Italian pop music selection, with station ID and Star Trek theme song closing the broadcast, was observed from 17.15 to 17.40 UTC. Reception on 6.940 kHz was (SINPO) 44444 -- good signal strength with slight fade and utility QRM, otherwise clear and audible speech.

Reception report was emailed on 26 October 2014. An eQSL from Capt. Danny wascreceived a few hours later. Thank you, Capt. Danny!

Email:

radioenterprise@hotmail.com

*Logged using remote SDR receiver at University of Twente, the Netherlands.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Radio Zwarte Panter in the Netherlands was logged on 3 October 2014. Yodelling and Dutch language songs were observed in a test transmission from 14.50 till 15.00 UTC. Reception on 6.250 kHz was (SINPO) 43433 - good signal and clear audio despite utility QRM and some slight fading; this interference prompted RZP to retune to 6.243 kHz at 15.00 UTC. Transmission then ended abruptly at the top of the hour, unannounced.

Reception report was emailed on 4 October 2014. Jan from Radio Zwarte Panther replied with an eQSL on 21 October 2014.

Email:

zwartepanter1951@hotmail.com

*Logged using remote SDR receiver at University of Twente, the Netherlands.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Radio Armada* in eastern Netherlands was received on 17 October 2014. Sixties guitar and polka music with station IDs, reception report requests and email announcements were observed from 21.00 to 21.30 UTC . Reception on the medium-wave frequency of 1663 kHz was (SINPO) 24332 - weak to fair signal, audible and clear at times, with slight fading

Reception report was emailed on same day. Jan from Radio Armada replied with an eQSL on 20 October 2014.

Email:

radioarmada@gmail.com

*Logged using remote SDR receiver at University of Twente, the Netherlands.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

European Music Radio* via MVBR in Goehren, Germany was logged on 19 October 2014. Station IDs with a lot of DJ chatter between 12 vocal pop/rock songs, including Journey - "Don't Stop Believing" was monitored from 07.00 to 08.00 UTC. Reception on 7.265 kHz was not under the best of conditions. SINPO was 15231 -- very weak signal, audio present but indeciferable content for much of the broadcast; reception was possible only in USB mode and only "European Music Radio" IDs, DJ chatting and songs were heard, but clarity was just not there -- too weak and too much atmospheric noise. Reception remained weak throughout this one-hour transmission. Reception did not improve on 9.485 kHz either when broadcast was relayed from 08.00 to 09.00 UTC.

Reception report was emailed on same day. Tom at EMR promised to send a QSL a few hours after submitting the report. This eQSL was received the following day, 20 October 2014. Thank you very much, Tom.

Email:
studio@emr.org.uk

*Logged using remote SDR receiver at University of Twente, the Netherlands.

Friday, October 17, 2014

LRA36 - Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel*, transmitting from Base Esperanza, Antártida Argentina, was logged on 17 October 2014. A female DJ speaking in Spanish with station IDs between a selection of several Spanish language songs was monitored from 19.35 to 20.35 UTC. Reception on 15.476 kHz in USB mode registered a (SINPO) of 24332 -- weak to fair signal, audible and clear at times, despite station splatter and occasional fading. This observation was made from a remote web-receiver in the Netherlands.

At the same time, in Malaysia, only a very faint carrier was detected in USB mode, hence the reason for using the web-receiver in the Netherlands. Even with this, LRA36's transmission propagated well over a considerable distance into northern Europe. Signal was still audible after 21.30 UTC, albeit much weaker with a (SINPO) of 25321.

Excerpts of this transmission shortly after 19.35 UTC may be heard HERE and HERE.

Reception report was composed in Spanish, then emailed and messaged to the LRA36 FaceBook page on 18 October 2014. A follow-up report was posted on 27 October 2014. The following day, 28 October 2014, I received an email from Dr. Juan Carlos LUJAN, President of Fundacion Marambio, indicating my reception report had been forwarded to Base Esperanza de la Antártida Argentina.

Radio New World International* was logged on 17 October 2014. English language broadcast from 16.05 to 16.22 UTC included station ID, email address announcement and reception report request; followed by songs from "Blondie" and interview with Blondie band member; followed by more music -- "Miserable Now"; followed by station ID, email address announcement and reception report request; followed by another song -- "Gotta Make You Last", then finally a station ID and transmission ended at 16.22 UTC. Reception on 6.239 kHz was (SINPO) 24333 -- weak to fair reception, some utility QRM, atmospheric noise and long fades, otherwise audible and clear at times,

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Radio Fred Flintstone* and Radio Shadowman*, both transmitting from the Netherlands, were logged on 8 October 2014. DJ Fred Flintstone was observed chatting between songs, including Shirely Bassie - "Goldfinger" and "It's A Shame", between 16.54 to 17.00 UTC. Reception on 6.325 kHz was (SINPO) 54544 - good signal strength

At 17.00 UTC, DJ Shadowman signed on and played "Joey", chatted in Dutch over song about Radio Fred Flintstone and Radio Black Arrow and announced station ID "Radio Shadowman" then polka music, rock tune and DJ Shadowman spoke about Radio Fred Flintstone transmitter/antenna, then closed at 17.15 UTC. Reception from 17.00 to 17.15 UTC on 6.325 kHz was (SINPO) 55555 - excellent on all accounts at sign-on; at 17.10 UTC signal worsened to 53443 - due to utility QRM and heterdyning.

Reception report was emailed to Radio Shadowman on 8 October 2014. The above verification was received on 16 October 2014, together with this message: "Beautiful that it comes with a sinpo 54544 -- super! on the SDR receiver Twente -- (not far) from me. I was testing the modulation. I had another modulator behind it. I have no QSL card, but I hope this is also good. Greetings, Radio Shadowman."

Email:

radioshadowman@hotmail.com

*Logged using remote SDR receiver at University of Twente, the Netherlands.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Cool AM (Alternative Music) Radio*, transmitting from the Netherlands, was logged on 14 October 2014. Station ID/jingle for Cool Am, followed by music selection from Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Three Steps", Chicago - "25 or 6 to 4" and a few blues tunes were observed from 16.25 to 16.50 UTC. Transmission ended abruptly. Reception on 6.735 kHz was (SINPO) 23332 -- poor signal strength, audible signal and clear at times when not affected by utility QRM and atmospheric noise.

Reception report was emailed to Cool AM on 14 October 2014. The above eQSL was received within a hour of submission:

Email:

coolamradio@hotmail.com

*Logged using remote SDR receiver at University of Twente, the Netherlands.

All India Radio, transmitting from Kurseong, West Bengal, was logged on 14 October 2014. A selection of Hindi songs (some from Bollywood films), news in English/Nepali and discussion on traditional/devotional music was observed from 12.05 to 13.00 UTC (broadcast time 11.30 to 17.00 UTC). Reception on 4.895kHz was (SINPO) 34443 -- fair signal, clear audio with atmospheric noise.

Reception report with multiple sound files was emailed and posted to All India Radio. On 15 October 2014, Sunil Bhatia at Spectrum Manager for AIR replied with the following email: "Many thanks for the report. QSL will be sent after verification." QSL card arrived in the mail on 20 November 2014.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Deutsche Welle, transmitting presumably from MGLOB relay facility in Talanta Volonondry, Madagascar, was logged on 13 October 2014. A Hausa language broadcast comprised of current event reports and a radio drama relating to African society was monitored from 18.30 to 19.00 UTC (broadcast time 18.00 to 19.00 UTC). Reception on 17.860 kHz was (SINPO) 34333 -- fair signal and clear audio with transmitter hum and atmospheric noise. Reception worsened and became increasingly noisy after 19.50 UTC with (SINPO) of 34223. The same DW broadcast (at 18.00 to 19.00 UTC) from Kigali (Rwanda) was logged on 21.780 kHz with a slightly better SINPO. DW via Dhabbaya (UAE), broadcasting in Hausa, can also be received from 13.00 to 14.00 UTC on 21.780 kHz.

Reception reports were emailed to both Deutsche Welle and MGLOB on 14 October 2014. Immediately after submitting the report to MGLOB, this computer generated reply came: "Thank you for your message to MGLOB SA, the company which operates the Talata Volonondry shortwave station in Madagascar. We will respond to your message later on and/or send you a verification card if the transmission details you have reported are correct. Kind Regards from the crew of MGLOB SA in Madagascar." Deutsche Welle replied on 11 November 2014 by mail with a QSL card.

Radio Free Asia / IBB, transmitting from Saipan/Agingan Point, was logged on 13 October 2014. Current event reports (in Burmese) relating to Myanmar, including several interviews for each feature, were moderated by female announcers from 13.40 to 14.00 UTC (broadcast time 13.30 to 14.00 UTC). Reception on 12.140 kHz was exceptional good with a (SINPO) of 54545 -- strong signal and clear audio with slight transmitter hum and minor flutter.

Reception report was submitted on-line and emailed to RFA the following day. QSL card commemorating RFA's 18 Anniversary arrived in the mail on 29 October 2014.

RFA broadcast times and frequencies may be viewed at their website, HERE.